There is an increased awareness that high intake of fat may be a factor in the development of obesity and cardiovascular disease. Specifically, saturated fat and trans-fat may raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which may increase the risk of coronary heart disease. Coronary heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Moreover, the United States Food and Drug Administration has required that trans-fat be listed on food labels starting on Jan. 1, 2006. Accordingly, there is an increasing demand for food products with reduced hard fats, trans-fats, saturated fats, and/or calories.
Flat breads and, in particular pizza crusts, contain trans-fat containing hard fat chips, which impart positive textural attributes to the finished products in terms of appearance and organoleptic properties. One of the functions of the hard fat chips in a pizza crust is to impart the textural attribute of a “pocket” in the crust as the crust rises. Upon baking, the fat melts and deposits at the bottom of the pocket and/or melts into the crumb grain. Given the popularity of pizza in the United States, there is a demand for a reduced-fat flat bread or pizza crust that maintains the positive textural attributes of the full-fat counterparts at reduced levels of the hard fat and trans-fat components.
The food industry has devoted years of research and development to fat replacement in food products. The use of starch as a fat-replacer is well known. For example, European Patent 0 516 107 (Sep. 20, 1995) relates to the sole use of a non-chemically modified cold-swelling, granular starch, which is obtainable by pre-gelatinization of the starch granules, as a fat and oil substitute in fat-reduced, cold-produced foodstuff emulsions like mayonnaise, salad dressing, and dips.
European Patent Specification 0 528 902 (published on Aug. 17, 1994) teaches a dough or batter composition for use in making fat-reduced non-bread bakery products wherein fat is replaced by a vegetable ingredient comprising dietary fiber and digestible starch.
European Patent Application 0 804 884 (published on Nov. 11, 1997) discloses a process for preparing foods using granular gelatinized starch produced by high-pressure treatment. The process of fat replacement disclosed is suitable for foods with a creamy consistency (e.g., low-fat emulsions like spreads, dressings, mayonnaise, and dips).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,166 (Apr. 9, 1985) provides converted starches, which with water form gels, suitable for use as a fat-and/or oil-replacements in foodstuffs such as ice cream, mayonnaise, buttermilk, salad dressing, margarine, whipped topping, and butter cream.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,513 (Aug. 20, 1996) provides a texturizing agent with fat-like attributes that can be used in full fat foods as a stabilizer. The disclosed foods suitable for containing the texturizing agent include mayonnaise, salad dressings, yogurt, cottage cheese, processed cheese, sour cream, edible spreads, cream cheese, peanut butter, frosting, meat products, cheesecake, mousse, and sauces.
There remains a need for a reduced-fat bread product, particularly a reduced-fat flat bread or pizza crust. While the use of starch as a fat-replacer is known in the art, these previous methods and compositions only teach the use of starch as a fat-replacer in fat-based emulsions and foods with a creamy consistency. The use of starch as a fat-replacer, and even more particularly the use of a starch-based particulate fat mimetic has not been disclosed for use with yeast leavened products. Generally, yeast leavened products such as breads are relatively low fat so fat replacement was not needed. However, the trans-fat content of flat bread and pizza crust is relatively high. Therefore, there is a need for a reduced-fat flat bread or pizza crust.